The Nature Journal: A Backyard Adventure

by Savannah Allen, Savannah Allen (Illustrator)

Overview

A charming and nature-filled picture book about a young boy who connects with his busy dad over their love of nature. Perfect for fans of Fatima’s Great Outdoors by Ambreen Tariq and Hike by Pete Oswald.

Tim has always loved nature. His dad always taught him to explore and adventure through their own backyard. So Tim observed, he collected, and he recorded it all in his nature journal, just like Dad!

But when one day Dad is too busy to look at his findings, Tim takes it upon himself to show Dad all his adventures. And after looking through his dad’s old nature journals, Tim gets sleepy and goes on some dreamy adventures of his own.

An imaginative and heartwarming story about the bond between Tim and his dad, and the beautiful adventures that lie waiting in the world, The Nature Journal is a sweet story of love and nature for the youngest budding explorers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593524930
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	05/02/2023
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	10.44(w) x 10.31(h) x 0.36(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Savannah Allen is a Nashville-based author and illustrator who never grew out of a love for children’s books. As a biracial creator, who rarely saw herself in stories as a child, she loves to invent characters that are simple, whimsical, and inclusive. She is also the illustrator of the Sprinkles and Swirls ready-to-read books by Lola M. Schaefer and The Warrior’s Code by Kate Hobbs. In her free time you can find her making forts and snacks with her husband and two kids, Sadie Lou and baby Ben. She can be found online at savannahleeallen.com.

Editorial Reviews

05/22/2023

Dad’s travelogs inspire dreams for the child who stars in this tale of adventures and hopes logged. Young Tim, who fits with his father “like bacon and eggs,” loves observing and collecting natural artifacts outdoors, just like his dad. But his father proves busy when Tim tries to share his nature journal, so the child heads to the attic, poring through his dad’s travel notebooks before falling asleep. Allen employs rich, thickly applied color in sketchbook-like digital renderings that capture Tim’s dreams with immersive spreads: the boy runs across a wooden rope bridge surrounded by giant tropical plants, rides a camel through the desert under the moon, and scuba-dives and mountain-climbs with Dad, dreams that Tim “scribbled down... as fast as he could” upon waking. When Dad turns his attention to his son (“I’m sorry I couldn’t be with you today”), the Black-cued duo embrace partnered adventuring for an affable conclusion. Ages 4–8. (May)

Publishers Weekly

*"A must for nature enthusiasts big and small, this one will inspire families to get outdoors together."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

From the Publisher

★ 2023-02-08
A boy and his father bond over a love of nature.

Tim, a little Black boy with skinny legs, dark brown skin, and a big Afro, and his dad, a bald, Black man with a massive black beard, fit together “like bacon and eggs.” Tim loves exploring the outdoors, just as his father did in his youth. After observing and collecting data one day, Tim wants to show Dad his findings, but Dad has work to do. After waiting patiently, Tim finally goes to the attic to peruse the scrapbooks and journals his dad made during his youthful adventures. While looking through them, Tim falls asleep and dreams of camping in the desert, snorkeling in the ocean, and hiking a snowy alpine trail with Dad. On awakening, Tim makes drawings of his dreams. When Dad finds Tim, he resolves to make more memories for the scrapbook with Tim. This story emphasizes that setting aside family time outdoors can result in a lifetime of memories. Allen’s (and Tim’s) brightly colored illustrations, with an abundance of green, including the duo’s matching olive-green scoutlike outfits, capture the boy’s passion for exploring and the closeness he and his father share when outside. The use of white space early in the book represents the confinement of work, but when Tim embarks on his dream journey, the full-color, imaginative double-page spreads convey Tim’s immersion in these natural habitats. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A must for nature enthusiasts big and small, this one will inspire families to get outdoors together. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews